Printing machine



June 25, 1940- e. M. KELLER El l.

PRINTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 12, 1937 INVENTORS GEORGE M-KELLER. ADOLPH M. ZUCKERMAN.

June 1940- G. M. KELLER El AL 2,205,930

PRINTING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 NVEHT ORS. GEORGE mas LLER. ADOLPH M-ZUCKERMAN Patented June 25, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,205,980 PRIETING MACHINE tion of New York Application May'12, 1937, Serial No. 142,104

'1 Claims.

This invention relates to printing machines and more particularly to a printing machine for use in combination with a laminated web forming mechanism, to cover printed matter on a web with a transparent covering to protect it.

It has been found to be desirable to provide a laminated web from which sheets or strips may be cut for various uses, among which is the provision of sheets or strips in which commodities requiring a printed label as well as a protecting or sealing wrapper may be wrapped. In the wrapping of cigarettes, for instance, a printed wrapping as well as a transparent moisture protecting covering is required, and the application of these two coverings is expensive. It is therefore proposed to provide a combined or laminated wrapping, for commodities requiring a printed wrapper and an outer transparent moisture proof protecting covering, which is composed of printed paper, or the like, and transparent cellulose material, such as Cellophane, or a like material which is transparent and also moisture proof. A material particularly adapted for use with the mechanism of this invention is transparent cellulose made by the acetate method and which is provided as a thin web, wound into a roll, and which has a coating of thermoplastic material upon one of its surfaces.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide mechanism for forming a laminated web composed of a printed web and a transparent web disposed over the printed matter on the printed web to cover and protect the same.

Another object is to provide mechanism for joining a printed web to a transparent web which has a coating of thermoplastic material upon its surface, that is adjacent the printed matter on the printed web.

Still another object is to provide a mechanism of the above nature wherein the residual heat in the printed web after it has been subjected to an ink drying operation is utilized to cause the printed web and the transparent web to adhere together.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of the above nature wherein two webs are brought to a substantially equal degree of heat and dryness and then adhesively joining them together to form a laminated web, by the application of pressure, as they are directed to a delivery mechamsm.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a mechanism for forming laminated webs of generally improved construction, whereby the same will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and eflicient in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combinations and arrangements of parts, and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

Various embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of the mechanism of this invention in combination withthe structure of a printing machine;

Figure 2 is a schematic side view of a somewhat modified arrangement; and

Figure 3 is a schematic side view of still another modified arrangement.

In carrying out the principles of this invention, it is essential that one of the webs used in forming the desired laminated web have a coating of inactive adhesive material upon the one of its surfaces, that will be adjacent the other web as they are brought together, and that means be provided to activate the adhesive subsequent to pressing the webs together so as to cause permanent adherence of the webs at their adjacent faces. In the embodiments illustrated, a roll ll of paper in web form and suitable for use in a printing machine, and a roll l2 of transparent cellulose material, in web form and having one of its surfaces covered with a coating of thermoplastic material, which becomes adhesive when softened by heat, are provided and arranged to be brought together with the thermoplastic coating between the respective webs l3 and I 4 leading from these rolls.

The printing machine shown in the drawings includes amulti-color printing unit adapted for printing upon the paper web l3 as it passes between cooperating form cylinders I5, l6 and I1 and an impression cylinder l8, through an ink drying unit l9, over cooling cylinders 2| and 22 ,and to a delivery mechanism. The delivery mechanism illustrated in Figure 1 includes cooperating sheet cutting cylinders 23 and 24 and a delivery conveyor"25 arranged to deposit sheets cut from the laminated web 26 on a pile 21. The delivery mechanism shown in Figure 2 includes a rewind roll 28 upon which the laminated web 26 may be wound. The delivery mechanism shown in Figure 3 includes a cooperating pair of web slitting cylinders 29 and 3| and a plurality of rolls 32, 33, 34 and 35 upon which the web strips respective rolls H and 12, around suitable rollers 36 and 31 respectively including floating rollers operating tensioning mechanisms in accordance with general practice. The paper web I3 is directed from the tensioning mechanism rollers 36 between feeding rollers 38, 39 and 4| and then over guide rollers 42 and 43 to the printing cylinders l5 and 18. After passing through the printing unit the printed web 44 is directed with the printed surface uppermost over a guide roller 45 and through the ink drying unit l9. Preferably the ink drying unit is of the type adapted to impose a relatively high degree of heat to the printed surface and to cause a rapid and thorough drying of the ink thereon. With such a unit a vent 46 is required.

In most instances, it will be desirable to lower the temperature of the web as it leaves the unit I 9 and therefore the temperature controlled cooling cylinders 2| and 22 are disposed adjacent the delivery end of the unit. l9 and are arranged to have the printed web 44 wrapped over a large proportion of their respective peripheral surfaces so as to obtain a maximum cooling action therefrom. From the cooling cylinders 2| and 22, the printed web 44 is led over a roller 41 between it and a pressure applying roller 48. The transparent cellulose or Cellophane web l4, with the thermoplastic coating underneath, is led from the tensioning mechanism rollers 31 to pass between feeding rollers 49 and 5| and over a guilding roller 52 to the rollers 41 and 48. The feeding roller 49 is adapted to be driven by a variable speed mechanism 53 whereby the exact amount of material required may beJed and associated with the web [4. With this arrangement the two webs will be joined together with proper respective tension and form a smooth laminated web without wrinkles and sheets out therefrom will lie flat without curling.

Herein the variable speed mechanism 53 is shown in the form of the well known P. I. V. drive, wherein the shaft 6| by which the roller 49 is driven is connected to a driven shaft 62 by means of an endless belt-like member 63 running between and cooperating with rotatable members 64 and 65, connected respectively to the shafts 6| and 62. The cooperating action between the belt-like member 63 and the members 64 and 65 is such that the proportionate speed between the members 64 and 65 may be readily varied as desired and thereby control the feed of the web 14 by varying the feeding effect of the roller 49 thereon. The member 65 is shown drivingly connected to the main drive shaft 66 of the printingmachine by means of a shaft 61 connected by gearing 68 to a vertical shaft 69, which in turn is driven from the main shaft 66 by gearing 1|. The member 65 is connected to the shaft 61 by suitable gearing 12.

The roller 48 being arranged to press the webs 44 and [4 together against the roller 41 as they Pass over the roller 49 will cause the adhesive coating on the web l4, when it is activated, or when, as herein provided, the coating of thermoplastic material is softened by heat, to permanently join these webs to form the laminated web 26. In the arrangement shown in Figure 1, sufficient residual heat is permitted to be retained in the printed web 44 by controlling the cooling action of the cylinders 2| and 22 to properly soften the thermoplastic coating on the web l4 to cause close and permanent adherence of the webs when they are subsequently pressed together between the rollers 41 and 46. By controlling the avoided and the tensions of the printed web 44 and the web I4 are equalized, or proportioned, to result in forming a laminated web 26, having the characteristics required for use as a wrapping material. After leaving the rollers 41 and 48, the laminated web 26 in Figure l is passed over a compensating roller 54 and between web feeding rollers 55 and 56 from which it is led to the sheet cutting cylinders 23 and 24.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 2, the exhaust heat from the ink drying unit I9 is bypassed from the vent 46 to a chamber 51 through which the web I 4 is led, whereby this web is heated to the desired temperature to soften and thereby make the thermoplastic coating adhesive before the web 14 reaches the rollers 41 and 48 and comes into contact with the printed web 44. In this arrangement the laminated web 26 is rerolled upon the roll 28.

In Figure 3, the web I4 is directed through a heating unit 58, separate from but similar to the ink drying unit l9, wherein the coating of thermoplastic material on the web l4 is sufliciently heated to soften it and cause it to become adhesive, before it comes into contact with the printed web 44. As in the previous forms the laminated web 26 is led over a roller 54, then between the feeding rollers 55 and 56, and between the slitting cylinders 29 and 3|, from which the respective strips are directed to the rolls 32, 33, 34

and 35.

While the above described arrangements are particularly useful in joining a transparent web of cellulose material to a paper web by means of a coating of thermoplastic material disposed on one surface of the transparent web, and which is softened and made adhesive by the application of heat, it will be obvious that they are also adaptable for use with other forms of transparent or like webs. For instance, a web having adhesive thereon, which may be made active by other means than the application of heat, may also be joined to a printed web by the mechanism of this invention, the residual heat retained in the printed web being useful to dry the ink on the printed web and to dry out any moisture present on or in the adhesive covered web, as they contact and are pressed together. In all instances, it is essential that the ink on the printed web be thoroughly dried and that the adhesive material on the covering webs of whatever nature is used, will be active, or be made active, before the two webs contact and are pressed together by the rollers 41 and 48. It is also obvious that the laminated web forming mechanism of this invention, may be combined with types of printing machines other than the multi-color type shown and that instead of cutting the laminated web into sheets, winding it into a roll, or slitting it and winding each strip into a roll, it may be delivered directly to the machine wherein it is to be used, for instance into a packaging or wrapping machine.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and it will be further understood that each and every novel feature and combination present in or possessed by the mechanism herein disclosed forms a part of the invention included in this application.

What we claim is:

1. In combination, a printing machine adapted to print upon a running web, means to bring the printed web into a position adjacent a running transparent web having a coating of normally inactive adhesive upon its surface that contacts the printed web, and which is adapted to be made active by the application of heat,- ink drying mechanism employing heat and arranged,

to act upon the printed web to dry the ink thereon and to heat the web to a temperature sufilcient to activate the adhesive on said transparent web, and meanslto press the webs together after the adhesive has been activated by the heat from the printed web.

2. In combination, a printing unit adapted to print impressions upon a running web, an ink drying unit adapted to dry the ink on the printed web by the application of heat thereto, means to control the residual heat in the printed web after the ink has been dried, means to direct a transparent web having a coating of thermoplastic material thereon into contact with the printed web and with the coating adjacent the printed impressions thereon, to cause activation of the coating and adherence of the webs due to the controlled residual heat in the printed web, means to press the webs together after they have contacted'to form a laminated web, and means to receive the laminated web from said pressing means.

3. In combination, a printing unit having a main drive and being adapted to print impressions upon a runningweb, an ink drying unit adapted to dry the ink on the printed web by the application thereto, means to feed a rimning transparent web having a. thermoplastic coating thereon into contact with the printed web with the coating adjacent the dried printed impressions, whereby the residual heat in the printed web will activate the coating and cause the webs to adhere and form a laminated web, said feeding means including a variable speed controlled roller driven from the main drive of said printing unit.

4. In a printing machine adapted to make impressions on a running web of paper, an ink drying device comprising heating means to the action of which the web is subjected after printing, a cooling means to the action of which the web is subjected after it passes the heating means,

an adjustable speed web feeding mechanism adapted to feed a web of transparent cellulose ing a heater to the action of which the cellulose web is subjected to soften the adhesive, and means to press the webs together while the adhesive is-soft and thereby form a printed product having a waterproof and dirt repellent surface which will not curl when out into sheets.

5. In a printing machine adapted to print on a paper web, feeding rollers for feeding a web of transparent material having a thermoplastic coating thereon that is dry at normal temperatures, means to heat the web of transparent material to make the coating adhesive, pressure rollers to press the paper web and the transpar ent web together, and means for driving the said feeding rollers from the machine, including a variable speed device adjustable to feed the transparent web at any desired speed slower than that ofthe paper web.

6. In a printing machine adapted to print on a paper web, an ink drying device including a heater, to the action of which the web is subjected after printing, means for supporting a roll of transparent web material having a dry thermoplastic coating thereon, a heating device for treating the transparent web to make the coating adhesive, pressure rollers to press the paper web and the transparent web together while they are heated, feeding rollers for feeding the transparent web, and a variable speed transmission device connected to the machine and to the feeding rollers and adjustable to ,feed

the transparent web at any desired speed slower than that of the paper web.

7. In a printing machine adapted to print on a paper web, an ink drying device including a vented heater, to the action of which the web is subjected after printing, meansfor supporting a roll of transparent web material having a normally dry thermoplastic coating thereon, feeding rollers for feeding the transparent web, means connected with the vent of the said heater to heat the transparent web to make the coating 

